Roissy Bus

Hi Stacy,
I did this once and hope to not repeat the experience. Yes, it is inexpensive and it was easy to find where to get the bus from CDG. However, I was so jetlagged and, with 2 bags, could not find the taxi stand near the Opera Garnier! It was a Sat. afternoon and the streets were crowded with people and I said to myself, never again. Finally, a young man with his little children, stopped and hailed a taxi for me and I zoomed off to my hotel which was in the 7th arr. From now on, I take a taxi from the airport to my hotel. The kindness of strangers!

I have taken it before several times. It's a nice, cheaper way to get into the city (though the RER is quicker).

Cheaper??
The RER plus any connecting Metro/RER train(s) to anywhere inside the Periphique is 10.30 EUR.
Roissy Bus costs more and includes no transfers.

I did this once, years ago, and had the same experience as Judy B. I'm not sure how I ever found the taxi stand. A lot of wandering around, through crowds of people, hauling my luggage, jet lagged and forgetting all of my high school French... Never again.

We took this bus last Saturday morning, with carry on size luggage. It was very easy. Bought tickets at kiosk in terminal with credit card, stepped outside to clearly marked spot. Luggage went on rack over seat. At Opera, walked across street to Metro. Only issue was someone tried to pick my husbands pocket in metro. He was wearing a money belt so they got nothing and quickly ran off train. Just be alert. You're a target when you have luggage and look jet lagged! The bus is a little more expensive than the train from CDG but a lot less than a taxi.

Took the roissy bus once and found the Rer was far easier even with luggage and being jet lagged. Sit back and relax get a pocket map of the subway once you get off the train . Look into getting the navigo passé if you are going to be in Paris for a week or more .

I agree with your husband. Will you be alone and will you have more than one very manageable piece of luggage? Also what time of day will you be traveling?

I took it a few years ago. I didn't have any problems, but my flight arrived at 5:30/6:00 am which is earlier than a lot of international arrivals so the bus was not busy. I recalled using the directions in the RS Paris guidebook to find the taxi stand. That or Google maps street view.

If you have more than one piece of luggage, I'd take a taxi.
Just follow the overhead signs at CDG and get in line.
The flat fees are 50 or 55 EU depending on where your address is located. No luggage fees.
It's a good idea to hand the driver your complete address - including the Postal Code - so there won't be any misunderstanding.
If you are going to rent an apartment, you should know that you will not be able to drop your luggage as you would in a hotel, so will be forced to carry your belongings with you.

The RoissyBus at Opera is fine, but I would not consider taking it to the RER at Chatelet-les Halles, which handles more than a million people per day.
I'd take a taxi, instead.

You can eat sandwiches or crepes for lunch to make up for the taxi.

Cheaper?? The RER plus any connecting Metro/RER train(s) to anywhere
inside the Periphique is 10.30 EUR. Roissy Bus costs more and includes
no transfers

Cheaper than a taxi. I didn't say the cheapest.

I generally only take the Roissy Bus if I'm going directly to the opera and the Air France bus when I go directly to Montparnasse.

Thanks for the replies ! Yes, I will be arriving alone, with luggage and carry on. I did mean cheaper than a taxi, and my aversion to using RER was the daunting transfer at Chatelet. I guess I will play it safe and take the taxi. Penny wise- pound foolish as they say. Merci.

I almost always take it, and love it. It is easy to catch, no transfers, and lets you see the city on your way in rather than tunneling under her on the RER. Sure taxis probably do that too, but at a high cost (I've never taken one). I often stay in the Opera Garnier area, and/or take a train from nearby Gare Saint Lazare. SO that makes it a no brainer. On my trip last week, I took the Roissy Bus into the city, but took the RER out as I was staying close to Opera Garnier on the first part of my trip, and left bank near an RER stop at the end of my trip. But there was no comparison, riding above ground is a way cooler way to travel.

I took it once when I there was a few years ago. As someone else mentioned, it was neat to see the outskirts of Paris on the way into the city. Re: luggage - I had one bag and I put it in the luggage compartment on the underside of the bus. If you land first thing in the morning, the bus will be in rush hour traffic - but the upside is watching the people in their tiny cars (compared to many American autos).

Taking that bus also gave me the first fun story from my trip. When we arrived, I couldn't figure out where the Metro station was so I crossed to the side where the opera house is because I saw a lot of people queued up outside (this was around 8am on a Monday). I realized they were there for an event at the Opera house, so as I continued to circle it, two women (who appeared to be models) offered me (in English-must've been my North Face jacket) a canvas tote bag of fashion magazines, which I happily accepted. It turns out that I was outside the Stella McCartney show at Paris Fashion week. I still have the bag, too - it's one of my favorite travel souvenirs.

When you tally up the amount of money you will have spent to get to France, it's small potatoes to pay 55 EU for a taxi.
Besides, you will have door-to-door service!

My biggest preference for RER is it gets you out of the street traffic, which can add quite a bit of time. It looks like you can connect to metro 7 at Gare de l'Est rather than having to go to Chatelet, which should be faster and easier.

I travel very light, not even a full size carry on, which makes every option easier.

My first time I planned to take an Easy Bus, only 2 euro with advance reservation. I found the place where the bus departed from easily enough but there was no bus and no signage. I asked inside and I was at the right place but they said they run about every 45 minutes. There wasn't a bus at my pick up time. Did I just miss it or is it running late? I ended up eating the 2 euro and took RER/metro. Not long after I saw Easy Bus suspended operations.

One of the airport bus routes goes to Gare de Lyon, a much shorter taxi ride to Place Monge.

When I fly solo to Paris, I take the RER since I arrive in the morning from SFO and the RER goes directly to Gare du Nord where I stay at a conveniently located small hotel.

Years ago I took the Roissy bus, only did this once, it was all right, no problems. Since I didn't have any idea back then on how to get from CDG to the city, I followed this American college kid, who had sat next to me on the plane, in taking the Roissy bus once we landed after the flight from LAX.